2026 World Cup: After intense pressure, US drops $15,000 deposit requirements for foreign fans

• US waives visa bond requirement for some World Cup fans.

• The policy previously required deposits of up to $15,000.

• Five African countries affected have qualified for the tournament.

• The move comes amid concerns over low international travel demand.

The decision, announced by the administration of Donald Trump, will exempt football fans from certain countries provided they possess valid World Cup tickets and meet visa requirements.

According to reports, the waiver applies to travellers from countries previously affected by a US “visa bond” programme introduced last year as part of stricter immigration enforcement measures. 

Under the programme, visitors from 50 countries considered to have high visa overstay rates could be asked to pay refundable deposits ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 before obtaining tourist visas. 

However, the US State Department has now confirmed that confirmed World Cup ticket holders travelling for the tournament will no longer be subject to the bond requirement. 

Five African countries affected by the policy; Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia, have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico beginning June 11, 2026. 

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar reportedly said the government was waiving the visa bonds for “qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets.” 

Before the exemption, the policy had sparked criticism from football supporters, immigration advocates and tourism stakeholders, many of whom argued that the financial requirement could discourage fans from travelling to the tournament.

Some reports suggested the policy was already affecting international travel demand ahead of the competition, with hotel operators in several host cities reportedly expressing concerns over weaker-than-expected foreign bookings. 

The visa bond policy was originally introduced to reduce visa overstays and strengthen immigration screening procedures. The deposits were designed to be refundable after visitors departed the United States within the terms of their visas. 

Players, coaches and tournament officials had already been exempted from the requirement before the latest announcement. 

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to attract millions of visitors and generate billions of dollars in tourism revenue across the three host countries.

The latest move is being viewed as an effort by US authorities to ease travel concerns and encourage greater international participation ahead of one of the biggest sporting events in the world.